Police yesterday were questioning the father of a 1-month-old girl who died after being found under a smoldering mattress with her mother in the bathroom of their Bronx apartment.
Police have said the fire was likely set to cover up other crimes.
Luisa Rodriguez, 32, who died in the apartment, was repeatedly stabbed in the arms and torso, authorities said. Her daughter, Angela, suffered some kind of trauma and was taken to Jacobi Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
“The child may have died as the result of trauma opposed to smoke inhalation,” NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said yesterday.
They were found Thursday night as firefighters responded to a fire in their Kingsbridge apartment.
The father, who did not live with Rodriguez, was located at his girlfriend’s house and was being questioned, Browne said.
According to Rodriguez’s neighbors, the dad moved out of the apartment four months ago but kept returning.
Rodriguez had gone to Family Court for an order of protection and had called police at least twice, sources said.
On Sunday, cops were called to the apartment at 2 a.m. for a domestic dispute.
Additional reporting by Dana Sauchelli